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Good morning.
Some Sundays are remembered by what was on the table. Others are remembered by what was on television. In 1982, the dial was still small, the remote was not yet universal, and a talking black sports car was about to become one of the decade's most recognizable TV machines.
We'll get there in a moment — along with a tight baseball race, "Abracadabra" at No. 1, and a brand-new Disney park just days from opening. First, here's what happened on September 26.
📅 On This Day — September 26
1914 — The Federal Trade Commission was created. President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Trade Commission Act, establishing the agency that would focus on competition and consumer protection.
1957 — West Side Story opened on Broadway. The original production debuted at the Winter Garden Theatre and went on to run for 732 performances.
1960 — Kennedy and Nixon met in the first televised presidential debate. Senator John F. Kennedy and Vice President Richard Nixon faced each other in a Chicago studio for the first of four televised debates during the 1960 campaign.
1969 — The Beatles released Abbey Road in the United Kingdom. It was the final Beatles album recorded by all four members together, though Let It Be would be released later.
1983 — Australia II won the America's Cup. The Australian yacht defeated Liberty in the deciding race, ending 132 years of American control of the trophy.
Now let's rewind to Sunday, September 26, 1982.
⏪ REWIND: 1982
The year had already given moviegoers E.T., radio listeners "Eye of the Tiger," and home-computer fans plenty to dream about. The NFL season had just been interrupted by a players' strike, baseball was heading toward October, and television networks were rolling out their fall schedules.
On this Sunday, NBC introduced a car that could talk back.
📰 The Headlines
🗞️ Knight Rider starts its engine
On September 26, 1982, Knight Rider premiered on NBC with a two-hour pilot.
David Hasselhoff played Michael Knight, a crime fighter paired with KITT, a sleek, computerized car with a voice and personality of its own.
The premise fit the moment perfectly: early-1980s fascination with computers and futuristic electronics, wrapped inside an action series built for prime time.
The show would run for four seasons. But on this Sunday night, Michael and KITT were just getting acquainted with viewers.
🎬 At the Movies
The weekend box office had a new horror title on top.
Amityville II: The Possession led the weekend ending September 26 with about $4.1 million.
But two of the biggest movie stories of the month were still E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and An Officer and a Gentleman. Both had been in theaters for weeks, and both continued drawing audiences as summer turned into fall.
It was a very 1982 mix: supernatural horror at the top for the weekend, with a homesick alien and a romantic military drama still pulling crowds.
🎵 On the Charts
The Billboard Hot 100 dated September 25 had the Steve Miller Band at No. 1 with "Abracadabra."
John Cougar's "Jack & Diane" was at No. 2, while Chicago's "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" held No. 3.
Three songs, three different corners of early-'80s radio — polished rock, small-town storytelling, and a power ballad all sharing the top of the chart.
🏁 In Sports
Baseball had reached the part of September when every result could feel a little heavier.
At Fenway Park, the Red Sox beat the Yankees 5–2. Baltimore beat Milwaukee 5–2, while the Giants edged the Dodgers 3–2 and San Diego beat Atlanta 3–2.
The standings were still moving, and there was only about a week left in the regular season.
Meanwhile, pro football had gone quiet: the NFL players' strike that began earlier in the week had interrupted the schedule.
📺 On Television
Sunday night television was full of premieres and familiar faces.
ABC — Ripley's Believe It or Not!, Matt Houston
CBS — 60 Minutes, Archie Bunker's Place, Gloria, The Jeffersons, Alice, Trapper John, M.D.
NBC — CHiPs, Knight Rider, TV's Censored Bloopers No. 3
That is a lot of 1982 in three lines: Archie Bunker, Jack Palance, highway patrol motorcycles, a new private eye, and a talking car.
Three networks were still enough to make Sunday night feel crowded.
🏰 Disney Vault
At Walt Disney World, one of Disney's biggest projects was almost ready.
EPCOT Center would open on October 1, 1982 — just five days after this Sunday.
The new park was built around Future World and World Showcase, with Spaceship Earth rising at the entrance as its enormous geometric symbol.
For visitors arriving in late September, the future was not some distant concept. It was sitting behind the gates, almost ready to open.
❤️ Health Snap
Small pieces of movement can add up.
Current CDC guidance says adults benefit from moving more and sitting less, with a general target of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week.
That does not have to happen all at once. A brisk walk, a few minutes of stairs, or another short burst of activity can still count toward a more active week.
Want a broader look at your everyday health habits? Take the free Health Assessment.
🎂 September 26 Birthdays
Olivia Newton-John — would have turned 78 (born 1948) — The singer and actor became a pop star on both sides of the Atlantic and brought Sandy to the screen in Grease.
Linda Hamilton — 70 (born 1956) — The actor became an action icon as Sarah Connor in the Terminator films.
Jim Caviezel — 58 (born 1968) — The actor has appeared in films and television, including The Thin Red Line and Person of Interest.
Serena Williams — 45 (born 1981) — The tennis champion won 23 major singles titles and became one of the defining athletes of her era.
Christina Milian — 45 (born 1981) — The singer and actor built a career across pop music, film, and television.
That's our trip through September 26 — from Broadway and Abbey Road to a 1982 Sunday of pennant-race baseball, new fall television, and EPCOT waiting just beyond opening day.
If today's rewind brought back a memory, share Yesterday Today with someone who remembers 1982 — or someone who would enjoy discovering it.
Every day has a story. Discover yours.
Until tomorrow, keep looking back — you never know what you'll rediscover.
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